![[Emerald] Pokémon Gengar Edition — Gastly starter QoL hack, IPS + Python save editor on GitHub](https://external-preview.redd.it/ejbLi0t3AxZS4RDGxEdcMXoa2FaBOFtjuL7lWOzo8mU.png?width=1080&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=acf44a70404848cae2452828751dff6fb3859a38)
[Emerald] Pokémon Gengar Edition — Gastly starter QoL hack, IPS + Python save editor on GitHub
Small weekend project I just finished and figured I'd share. It's a QoL
pack for Pokémon Emerald (US 1.0) focused on letting Gastly actually work
as a starter — which it canonically can't, because Ghost moves don't hit
Normal types and Gengar's evolution requires trading.
**What's in it:**
- Gastly replaces Treecko in Birch's satchel
- Haunter evolves into Gengar at level 36 — no trade needed
- Gastly's line gets a 36-move natural learnset from level 1 to 99,
including Bite at L1 (so it can actually damage Zigzagoon — yes I had
to fix this after the first playtest), plus Hypnosis, Sludge Bomb,
Shadow Ball, Psychic, Dream Eater, all three elemental punches,
Destiny Bond, Perish Song, Explosion, etc.
- All TMs and HMs are learnable by the Gastly line (HM Cut on a Ghost,
yes)
- HMs can be forgotten at the regular move menu — no Lilycove trip
- The other three starters are catchable in the wild at ~10% rate on
themed routes (Mudkip/Route 102, Torchic/Fiery Path, Treecko/Route 119)
- Mew (Route 120), Celebi (Petalburg Woods), and Deoxys (Route 121)
catchable at 1% rate
- Every Pokémon's catch rate is set to engine max (255). Not literally
100% with any ball, but very close when weakened — and Master Balls
remain Master Balls
- Gengar base stats boosted to pseudo-legendary tier (695 BST)
- Starting money is $999,999
**What's not in it (use community IPS patches on top):**
- Run Indoors
- Faster default text speed
- True 100%-catch-with-any-ball (needs the shake-formula patch)
- Title screen replacement — I made a mockup as reference art but the
actual tile-art conversion needs proper tools
**Tools / source:**
The repo also includes a native Python save editor (`gengar_save_editor.py`)
that handles nature and held-item edits. Runs on macOS/Linux out of the
box — no Wine, no .NET, no PKHEX required. Useful if you want a Timid
Gastly + Leftovers without PKHEX.
There's also a full technical write-up (`docs/hack_guide.md`) with every
byte offset documented, in case anyone wants to extend or modify.
**Built with Claude (Anthropic):** I drove design and playtesting, found
the bugs, made the decisions. Claude did the byte-level ROM work. Calling
that out up front because it'll come up otherwise. The Python save editor
was iteratively built and debugged the same way (it caught a substructure
re-ordering bug during testing).
**Repo:** https://github.com/apeabody007/Pokemon-Gengar-Edition-Emerald-Hack-
Verified against Pokémon Emerald US 1.0, CRC32 `1F1C08FB`. No ROM
included — just the IPS patch and tools. Apply to your own clean copy.
Happy to hear feedback, especially on the wild encounter placements and
the early-game learnset balance. Have fun.